Tuesday, 28 February 2017

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is thought to be caused by genetic factors, but environmental cues are increasingly recognized to have an impact on disease onset and development. One environmental factor suggested to play a role in MS is infectious agents, such as viruses. Now, different teams of scientists have explored the potential link between different viruses and the risk for MS. Read on.

On Thursday night the Government announced surprise changes to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment.

We didn't expect these changes and are working hard to understand their potential impact. They follow proposals last year, which we and other disability charities sent a strong message against. Read on.

There are a record 5m self-employed workers in the UK.They account for the 45 per cent of the growth in total employment since 2008. Analysis of the figures show that 16% of working disabled people identify as being their own boss, compared with 13% of the non-disabled population. Read on and listen here.

Wednesday, 22 February 2017

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that affects nearly 2.3 million people worldwide. MS is triggered when the immune system attacks the protective covering around nerve fibers, called the myelin sheath. The "demyelination" that follows damages nerve cells and causes impaired exchange of information between the brain and body as well as within the brain itself. Read on.

We’re urging them to scrap plans to introduce ‘mandatory activity’ for people in the support group of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). These plans could force people, already assessed as too unwell to work, to prepare for work or risk facing cuts to their benefits. Read on.

Friday, 10 February 2017

It had been piloted in the Centre with people with MS to help primarily with pain relief (e.g. MS hug and neuropathic pain in legs) but we have also trialled it for fatigue. It has been observed that some of our members have benefitted and others have not had any significant improvement.

The only side effect can be headache, which can usually be helped by drinking the recommended 1.5L of water.

APS is not suitable for women during pregnancy or for people who have: pacemaker, epilepsy, active cancer, recent stroke, heart attack, Pulmonary Embolism or DVT. The recommended duration for treatment is 3 times a week for 8 weeks initially.

We are seeking an enthusiastic physiotherapist who wants to make a difference to the lives of
people living with MS.
You will be working in a purpose-built, independent Therapy Centre with a dedicated team
of physiotherapists providing assessment, treatment and management, on an out-patient
basis, for our members.

We are based at Bradbury House, just off Oxford Road in Reading, Berkshire. Here we have a fully equipped gym with specialist equipment, the only oxygen chamber open for people with MS in Berkshire, numerous therapy rooms and plenty of parking. Most importantly we have a friendly atmosphere and a lot of laughter.

We are looking for people to share their MS experience with us. So many people tell us how scary it is when they are first diagnosed and we want to show people they are not alone. Would you be happy to share your story with us? If so please email samantha@bmstc.org for more details.

Source: MS TrustHave you heard of trigeminal neuralgia? It's a type of severe neck pain which can cause stabbing or burning sensations down one side of the face. Research has shown that people who have MS are more likely to experience it. Read on.

Thursday, 9 February 2017

A simple blood test can tell which type of multiple sclerosis a person has, according to study in scientific reports. It touts the first known sign in the blood that indicates the central nervous system disease, in which communication between the brain and the rest of the body breaks down, creating motor problems and muscle weakness, among other symptoms Read on.

Join a live webcast on February 13, featuring Alliance Collaborative Network Award recipient Dr. Francisco Quintana from Harvard University/Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Quintana is leading research to identify and evaluate drugs that protect the brain from damage in progressive MS. (Note: 4pm GMT) Read on.

Source: MS SocietyBBC journalist Caroline Wyatt, who lives with MS, has been sharing her experiences of travelling abroad for HSCT and the challenges and emotions she’s faced. It’s a moving read: https://carolinewyatt.com/

The man opposite you on the train has one leg in plaster and one arm in a sling. Each time he moves, he grimaces with pain. Few of us could fail to have a degree of sympathy for his suffering. The apparently normal man seated next to him may be experiencing excruciating burning and stabbing pain in his legs and feet as a result of his MS. Who is to know, though? There is nothing to see to explain his pain. Neuropathic pain is truly an invisible illness.

Although there is no known cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), there are treatments that can help prevent new attacks and improve function after an attack. However, there are three subtypes of the disease and determining this, as well as the appropriateness and effectiveness of a patient's current treatment, involves an array of expensive, time-consuming tests. Now, after a search lasting 12 years, an international team of researchers has identified a biomarker that would allow MS subtypes to be determined with a simple blood test. Read on.

New clinical trial results provide evidence that high-dose immunosuppressive therapy followed by transplantation of a person's own blood-forming stem cells can induce sustained remission of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system. Read on.

It's February and the lovely colleagues at Waitrose Henley have chosen the Henley MS Support Group (part of BMSTC) as one of their green token charities. If you are shopping there please vote for us and ask your friends to use their green tokens too. Happy shopping!

Dog, cat, chinchilla, hamster, ferret, fish, bearded dragon, parakeet, pig, monkey – whatever your choice, pets really make us feel good, better even, as we live with chronic illness and disability. Not only can they provide physical assistance, they also warm our hearts and make living with MS a bit easier. Read on.

Tuesday, 7 February 2017

DWP have proposed new plans to help more people with long
term conditions reap the benefits of work and improve their health. The plans
are set out in the governments Work, Health and Disability
Green Paper. It outlines how disability or a health condition should not
dictate the path a person is able to take in line – or in the workplace. What
should count is a person’s talents and their determination and aspiration to
succeed.

The government is seeking
views on what it will take to transform employment prospects for disabled
people and people with long-term health conditions.

This consultation seeks views on how we can halve the
disability employment gap. Despite the current record-breaking labour market,
4.6 million disabled people and people with long-term health conditions are out
of work. Less than half (48%) of disabled people are in employment, compared to
80% of the non-disabled population.

Topics in this consultation
include the role of employers and work coaches, improvements to the welfare
system, investing in innovative services, occupational health support and
changing the culture around work and health.

The Department for Work and
Pensions and the Department of Health are keen to hear views from all
interested parties, including employers, disabled people and disability organisations.

Important: For security reasons DWP cannot discuss personal information with you over
email. DWP will never ask you to send any usernames, passwords, personal,
health/medical or bank account information via email and we will not be able to
process such information if you do send it – it will be deleted. You must tell
us about any changes that may affect your circumstances by post or telephone.